Typical newbie questions about Raw Diet

Ok so i've been happy having Rio on his Burns kibble and the odd bit of wet food, more for his enjoyment than anything else.

Then I was checking facebook this morning and saw the Blueboys post about their diet and started to read about the raw diet and it kind of snowballed and basically.....i'm on the hunt for an extra freezer

I have typical questions and have read through Bane's thread which has helped A LOT

1. I have always heard bones are bad for dogs for fear of piercing their bowel in digestion but i read everything about given them chicken legs etc, so is this not the case?

2.Rio has never been socialised sadly but he's a LOT better since we've had him with other dogs from a distance, can a raw diet change his behaviour at all? Obviously not to the point of being a different dog, but like lessen anxiety and stress behaviours?

3. How much is it ok to feed him? So 25kg, like 500g-1kg a day? And once a day or split into 2 or personal preference?

4. Will he lose weight?

5. How will his bowels be? He gets a funny tummy with stuff easily, will this help?

6. Does this mean raw treats from now on too?

7.Where is best to buy?

Finally other stuff he can have, i've read people adding yoghurt, veg, eggs etc, is this all ok?

1. I have always heard bones are bad for dogs for fear of piercing their bowel in digestion but i read everything about given them chicken legs etc, so is this not the case?

Raw bones are fine (yes, even chicken bones!), although most raw feeders tend to steer clear of weight bearing bones (beef legs etc). a lot of people hold on to the bone to start with, as it encourages the dog to chew/gnaw rather than swallow whole!


2.Rio has never been socialised sadly but he's a LOT better since we've had him with other dogs from a distance, can a raw diet change his behaviour at all? Obviously not to the point of being a different dog, but like lessen anxiety and stress behaviours?

feeding raw meat & bones won't change your dog's temperament at all! it has been known for a dog to calm down somewhat, though - there aren't the same levels of additives in raw!

3. How much is it ok to feed him? So 25kg, like 500g-1kg a day? And once a day or split into 2 or personal preference?

I'd go on one of the raw feeding sites to find out how much to feed - iot goes on body weight percentage, but i can't remember what it is. whether you feed once or twice a day is entirely up to you, and how your dog normally feeds.


4. Will he lose weight?

Quite possibly, but that's only because he'll be eating less rubbish - he may become a bit more 'defined'.

5. How will his bowels be? He gets a funny tummy with stuff easily, will this help?

the bone content (and lack of 'fillers') should make his tummy a lot better, and the only problem may be a slight upset as he gets used to the change of food, but that's normal.

6. Does this mean raw treats from now on too?

you can if you want, but you don't have to.

7.Where is best to buy?

raw feeders on the forum will be able to point you in the right direction!

Finally other stuff he can have, i've read people adding yoghurt, veg, eggs etc, is this all ok?

some people add things, but you don't necessarily have to. raw eggs are fine a couple of times a week (together with the shell). veggies are okay if your dog likes them, but they're not necessary

you will have to make sure, though, that you feed 80% meat, 10% bone & 10% offal - that's very important!.

Great post above Gilly.

You may well find that his stools are smaller and much firmer as he will digest more of the food and not produce so much waste... a win win I think

I'm a raw feeder (or rather given I'm a veggie)

1. I have always heard bones are bad for dogs for fear of piercing their bowel in digestion but i read everything about given them chicken legs etc, so is this not the case?

Cooked bones are to be avoided, they can splinter badly and are quite hard. Raw bones should be fine. Having said that, I do find with poultry bones that they get little bits irritating the stomach which makes them sick, so I tend to only give these rarely. A whole turkey drumstick is a special treat. You can get minces that include bone, and good bones to give are veal or lamb, both very soft.


2.Rio has never been socialised sadly but he's a LOT better since we've had him with other dogs from a distance, can a raw diet change his behaviour at all? Obviously not to the point of being a different dog, but like lessen anxiety and stress behaviours?

If anxiety/stress are due to a food reaction, then changing can help. It certainly shouldn't make it worse so it's worth a try.

3. How much is it ok to feed him? So 25kg, like 500g-1kg a day? And once a day or split into 2 or personal preference?

I don't feed for weight but for body condition. As a guide, though, Chaos is about the same weight, 24.3kg last week, and he gets about 450g twice a day. Having said that, Millie is only 15kg and doesn't get a lot less. She does burn it off! I'd start at about 450g x 2 and see how he goes.

4. Will he lose weight?

As above, if you feed for condition rather than a set amount per body weight he should be fine. Just adjust if you think he's lost or gained.

5. How will his bowels be? He gets a funny tummy with stuff easily, will this help?

Generally speaking, your basic muscle meats are easy on the stomach. You can get quick reactions to offal, which is recommended as part of their regular intake, so go very easy on that at least until you know how he reacts. Liver in particular is rich and can make them loose. Offal will also generally give them very dark stools, which is nothing to worry about.

Bone, on the other hand, will give you firmer stools. You'll usually see they poo less but with bone it will be more. It's one of those things you get to know, what's normal for your dog according to what they've eaten.

6. Does this mean raw treats from now on too?

Part of the reason I feed raw is that I don't like given the rubbish/additives that are in a lot of treats, so I do mainly give 'natural' treats. That can include biscuit types, dried fish, stuff like that. A few ordinary treats won't do any harm, though.

7.Where is best to buy?

I use Landywoods (https://landywoods.co.uk) and I know others on here use DAF (www.daf-petfood.co.uk). I've no experience with the latter but have always found Landywoods good. They have once or twice run out of something and not substituted, leaving me short, but they now know that I need the right quantity so to make it up if needed. They have an amazing range now, quite stomach churning some of it! Their quality is always good though, I've never had a problem with that.

Finally other stuff he can have, i've read people adding yoghurt, veg, eggs etc, is this all ok?

Yes, most things are fine (no chocolate, grapes, avocados and a few other things). There are different opinions on whether dogs do actually digest veg, even when cooked, and mine do well without any quantity of it. They love carrots and will eat most fruit and veg, and they reguarly get raw eggs. They also get leftover spuds, pasta and rice.

I'd start off by buying some straight chicken or turkey mince and see how he gets on with it for a week before you take the plunge big time.

Is that enough for now?

Fantastic answers thank you very much! I spoke to my OH about it and he just sort've grunted his approval of it, don't think he really understands it all I also spoke to my mum about it and she's started her puppy on it straight away too. I really think he'll enjoy his food more with this, I have a raw shop in town so will check that out and start off with chicken bits and bobs. Thank you for your help! No doubt i'll have more questions

Let us know how you get on, Kerry. If he isn't overly keen to start off with, mix some in with some kibble (it is ok to do that). Most dogs go for it straight away but others give you a 'what is this carp in my bowl' look the first couple of times, then get the hang of it.